What Is Viral Meningitis?

The most common form of meningitis, viral meningitis is typically mild and resolves without treatment.

Viral meningitis is a virus-borne inflammation of the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord (the meninges).

It's far less severe than bacterial meningitis, and generally only produces mild symptoms such as headache, nausea, bright-light sensitivity, and lethargy.

Viral meningitis is the most common type of meningitis, and the majority of cases are due to non-polio enteroviruses, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In fact, according to a 2006 report in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, enteroviruses alone cause an estimated 75,000 cases of meningitis in the United States each year.

Causes of Viral Meningitis

There are a number of viruses that can cause meningitis.

Enteroviruses, which include the Coxsackie and Echovirus groups of viruses, may account for up to 80 percent of viral meningitis cases in adults, according to a 2008 article in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

The general population may also get meningitis from HIV and various herpes viruses, including:

Herpes simplex virus 1 and 2

Varicella zoster virus, which causes chickenpox and shingles

Epstein-Barr virus

People who aren't up to date on their vaccinations may get meningitis from the influenza, mumps, and measles viruses.

People who have a weakened immune system may get meningitis from cytomegalovirus, and those who have contact with rodent feces or urine may get it from lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus.

In addition to rodents, certain insects can also transmit viruses that cause meningitis, such as:

West Nile virus from mosquitos in certain parts of the Americas, Africa, West Asia, Australia, and mainland Europe

Saint Louis encephalitis virus from mosquitos in North America

Encephalitis viruses from ticks in mainland Europe and Asia

Transmission and Risk Factors

Viral meningitis is contagious, because the viruses that cause the disease are generally easily passed between people.

Enteroviruses are present in the feces, mucus, and saliva of infected people, and are transmitted through direct contact with an infected person or surface.

In temperate climates, the viruses spread most during summer and autumn, and infection rates are high all year long in tropical and subtropical climates, according to the BMJ report.

Only a small number of people infected with enteroviruses will get meningitis, according to the CDC.

Children under age 5 and people with weakened immune systems — from diseases, medications, and/or recent surgeries and transplants — are most likely to get meningitis from enteroviruses.

The herpes simplex virus is the second-most-common cause of viral meningitis in adolescents and adults in developed countries, according to the BMJ report.

It can be passed to other people via contact with an infected area of skin during an outbreak (when the virus is active).

Other meningitis-causing viruses are spread in different ways.

For instance, mumps, measles, and influenza are easily spread between the unvaccinated through coughing and sneezing, while HIV is spread through sex and sharing drug needles (the virus is present in blood, breast milk, and seminal, vaginal, and rectal fluids).

Treatment of Viral Meningitis

No specific treatment exists for viral meningitis, and most cases clear up within seven to 10 days.

However, antiviral medications may help people with meningitis from herpes viruses and influenza (antibiotics, on the other hand, aren't effective against viruses).

Infants under 1 month and people with weakened immune systems are most likely to suffer severe symptoms, according to the CDC, and may need comfort care to control symptoms.

Vaccines can prevent some types of viral meningitis, though this doesn't include enterovirus meningitis.

In this case, avoiding close contact with those with enteroviruses and touching your face with unwashed hands can help minimize your chances.

If you're already infected, you can prevent the spread of the virus by frequently washing your hands, disinfecting surfaces, staying away from people, and coughing and sneezing into a cloth or tissue (not your hands).

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